Ben Haggerty, a.k.a. Macklemore, is a white 29-year-old kid from Seattle.  Macklemore is a rapper, but not just any rapper; his music is authentic, true and meaningful. His success was confined to his hometown until he met producer Ryan Lewis, who succeeded in adding a subliminal musical touch to Haggerty’s words. A lovestory began, and the unstereotypical duo has made magic ever since. Their last album, The Heist, was released on Oct. 9.

Nowadays, common are rappers who are only interested in making money and write mainly about cars, jewels and women. Macklemore is not one of them. The hip-hop artist adopted a vulnerable and honest approach to music. He stands as the advocate of the human condition and the minorites, the one he belongs to first. Being a white singer in the black ocean of the rap industry is a challenge in itself, but a challenge that he takes up with gusto. His songs tell stories about his childhood on “Wing$,” the deeply personal territory of addiction on “Neon Cathedral ft. Allen Stone,” and the consequences of relapses on “Starting Over ft. Ben Bridwell.”

Macklemore is willing to be a role model after few years of drift and uses self-criticism about his past mistakes. Few rappers would dare to represent causes as bold as Haggerty does. On “Same Love ft. Mary Lambert,” he declares his support in favor of gay rights and makes a forward-thinking analysis of society’s views on homosexuality based on his own experience of growing up with two gay uncles. The rapper uses hip-hop as a tool to denounce our consumer society on “Thrift Shop ft. Wanz,” a song that is also a breath of appreciated and innocent air of silliness and fun in this 15-track album.

Macklemore’s words would be less powerful if they weren’t accompanied and sublimated by Ryan Lewis musical talent. Lewis manages to add catchiness to Haggerty’s texts. This perfectionnist refuses to use samples and creates every single of his beats. From old-school flavor to atmosheric electro-pop, passing by restrained piano driven tracks and instrumental anthems, Lewis perfectly highlights Macklemore’s passionate cadence. The importance of the producer in the duo is evident : the two artists share titles rather than relegating Lewis to sleeve credits.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis build success without the assistance of a record label and definitely deserve it. Their album The Heist made it to the number one on iTunes charts and is selling thousands of copies. The duo breaks the industry norm. Stay alert, they are rising stars.

Editor’s Note: Mathilde Mottet is an exchange student in Mrs. Marcello’s Journalism I class.